Theirs to Keep

For a moment, it was like time stopped.

“It’s… it’s just…”

“It’s just that you miss her,” I said softly, stroking his hair. “And that’s okay. You should miss her. Miss and remember her, the way you’ve been remembering.”

I pulled back just far enough to look him right in the eyes.

“But don’t ever take blame,” I told him. “Every last ounce of that misplaced guilt only serves to demean her memory.”

Little by little, he lowered his chin to his chest. I saw his shoulders slump in acknowledgment.

“I didn’t know Maddy,” I sighed softly. “But from everything I’ve heard of her, she would’ve never wanted that.”

Roderick shook his head. “No,” he agreed. “She wouldn’t.”

“Then the three of you should honor her the way you have been,” I told him, “by remembering the good. By opening your hearts, so it can live on forever.”

Something sparked inside him. I could see the change happen, even before a smile stole over his face.

“You’re pretty good at this stuff,” he told me. “Know that?”

“Oh, I know.”

“Down at the precinct they should’ve let you be the negotiator or something,” he said with the hint of an oncoming smile.

“That job was already taken.”

“Oh.”

“They gave me the role of smarmy badass instead,” I smiled. “Plus I got to be the belligerent asshole in all those good cop bad cop scenarios.”

“What’s that pay?”

“Not

nearly as much as you’d think.”

He laughed. “Too bad.”

“Did you ever see my old lakeside apartment?”

“Once, remember?” he answered. “When your car broke down and we picked you up.”

“Well I moved in there with my savings.”

“Yikes.”

“I know right?” I quipped. “Probably should’ve gotten an investment manager, but I blew that whole budget on coffee filters.”

We laughed together, and the laughter felt good. It was still early in the day. Too early for lunch, too late for breakfast. It was going to be a beautiful day though. The sun had been shining on my face throughout my run back to the manor.

“Hey, wanna go to the beach?” Camden asked, poking his head into the room.

Roderick scratched at his beard for a moment. “Actually, yeah.”

“Good! We haven’t been to the beach since—”

“Wait,” I interrupted with an outstretched finger. “Which beach do Bryce’s sisters usually hit?”